The Legend of Korra: Mako's Perspective
by Merdok1993
Summary: With so much criticism of Mako's character through the fandom, I decided it would be intriguing to write what I think went on in Mako's head throughout the events of the series. I don't really have much more of a summary left, so I present The Legend of Korra: Mako's Perspective!
1. A Thankful Destiny

From the attic upstairs Mako could start to see the crowds of people starting to pour in one direction. The illuminating glow from the arena made their bodies mainly appear as dark shadows, but he didn't have to see their faces to know their excitement. As usual, their voices formed together as one buzzing, happy sound. But like always, even though they sounded radiant as a whole from a distance, he could still pick out their senseless chatter. Some were children begging their parents to walk faster to the ticket booth. Some were older men casually talking about who they predicted to win the match, some even placing bets of hundreds of yuans.

"Idiots_," _mumbled Mako underneath his breath.

If only the children whining about getting tickets faster would be grateful that they had parents, much less parents that would take them to pro-bending matches. The thought of parents only gave him an ache he didn't want to welcome, so he changed his thoughts to the men.

The money the men were willing to bet was almost an insult to him. If only the men placing bets realized the money they were betting could be put to better use. Mako swore to himself that if he ever had money it would be used for a better life for him and his brother, Bolin. He had always struggled trying to take care of his brother and couldn't imagine being so fortunate that it would be okay to bet money on a game. If he had money he would have spent it on Bolin. There wasn't much of anything that was more important than Bolin to Mako.

He could've bought a place for them to stay when it rained at nights, he could've bought them coats for when it got cold, he could've kept them both away from the awful acts they had to do to survive, and he could've bought them food…

_Food, _Mako thought. He could feel his stomach churn. He put his head in his hands trying to get thought out, immediately getting mad at himself for even thinking about it. He and Bolin had already eaten once today, he shouldn't be feeling hungry. A few years ago he would've been grateful to have had one meal, now he was turning into one of them. One of the spoiled, ungrateful, no-good, _lousy_-

"Alright, alright, I can't contain my excitement any longer! Would you just look at that crowd? They love us! Two matches away! We only have to win two more matches and then we're in the tournament! Can you believe it, Mako?"

Mako lifted his head from his hands to see Bolin staring below at the crowd of people in awe with a huge smile. Mako sighed. Bolin was so young and naïve. His optimism almost pained Mako, he didn't want to see his brother let down.

"Easy there, little bro. I wouldn't count us in yet. Hasook has really hurt the team in practice lately, not to mention he is already late. He should've been here ten minutes ago for pre-match practice. I just don't want you getting your hopes up," Mako reasoned in a dry voice.

"Aw, c'mon, Mako! You have to be a little optimistic!" Bolin exclaimed while squeezing Mako, nearly lifting him off of the ground. He was so strong.

"Sure, go team," said Mako sarcastically "Now will you please let go of me?"

"Okay, _team captain_, what's up with you? What, haven't you seen any fangirls fawning over you tonight?"

Mako immediately felt disgusted by the latest memory of fangirls. Although he had won their last match with moxie, there wasn't enough moxie in the world to shake hands and sign autographs while girls chanted Fire Ferrets over and over, sometimes exclaiming that they'd never wash their hands again.

He smirked, "If anything, I'm glad there are none tonight. And hey, no more letting girls in before matches okay? That could really make you lose focus and we don't need that, especially now."

Bolin smile immediately faded and he sighed, looking at the ground. Mako saw that his bad mood had taken away from Bolin's excitement. Trying to protect his brother from disappointment was giving him disappointment. Mako realized he needed to lighten up. As much as he knew their life had not been easy, he still had to be thankful. Although he missed their parents, he knew all life happens for a reason. If they hadn't been orphans out on the street they wouldn't be where they are today. He was thankful that they struggled because they were stronger today.

He was thankful that Toza realized they were worth something and let them have a place in the arena's attic. He was thankful Toza taught them pro-bending even though Shady-Shin had taken away his big chance in the sport. He was thankful that at just eighteen years old, his team was upsetting every team they had faced this season. Mako then started to believe that life was all about destiny. A destiny in which a good attitude and patience would reward. He and Bolin had a bright future as much as he didn't realize it. He looked Bolin's way and tried to provide a sincere smile.

"Hey, I'm sure we'll do fine tonight. We're both great benders, aren't we? Mom and Dad would proud of us, I know it."

Mako reached for Bolin's shoulder to comfort him and Bolin squealed in response, again, squeezing Mako almost picking him up off of the ground. Mako smiled, rolling his eyes.

"It's going to be a good night, Mako! I've got a good feeling!"

Just then, the door opened in the far corner of the attic, breaking up the moment between the brothers. Hasook came running into the room panting with drops of sweat lingering on his forehead.

"Sorry, I'm late guys. You know how these Satomobile drivers get on game nights," Hasook hurriedly panted out of breath.

Mako's eyes narrowed and he stepped away from Bolin with his voice booming, "Are you kidding me? That's why you're late? That's no excuse! We should've been practicing by now and you come in blaming slow drivers as an excuse to be late?"

Out of the corner of Mako's eye he saw Bolin look down and shake his head.

"I'm not overreacting this time, Bolin, there's no 'I' in team, everyone has to put in an effort," Mako snapped. He then stepped forward to point a finger in Hasook's face, "Especially those like you who are weak and need to put forth the most effort instead of being utterly _useless!"_

The words were like a bomb, it felt like the room had exploded. Suddenly the room was quieter than it had ever been. Mako couldn't even hear the senseless chatter from outside the arena anymore.

What felt like an eternity later, Bolin laughed a nervous laugh and headed towards the door of the attic, "Weeeeeell, I'm going to go ahead and head to the lockers. Have fun you two, and don't forget, tonight the whole world will know that we, the Fire Ferrets, are champions!"

The door slammed shut and Mako and Hasook were left alone.

"One more time, Mako, one more time. That's all I'm giving you. I'm so sick of you yelling at me and throwing everything in my face. Life can't be perfect all the time!" Hasook hissed.

"Do you not think I know that? Bolin nor I have ever had a perfect life!" Mako roared in response.

The room was quiet again.

Mako sighed and put his hand to his forehead, "Look, I'm sorry, but this close to the tournament, there is no time for anyone to be late, okay? Just… Just get here on time from now on. Let's go, we have a match to play".

**I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. I'm so excited to finish this story! I know throughout the fandom that Mako is not a very likable character, but personally, I think he is intriguing. Most of us hate Mako's character from the outside so I wanted to write what I would like to think was going on in Mako's head throughout the whole first season. Please continue to read the upcoming chapters. I would love helpful comments, this is my first fanfiction and I hope I'm doing okay! But please be nice ^^ **


	2. No Distractions

As Mako and Hasook started the descent from the attic to the arena's locker room, Mako felt the butterflies in his abdomen. The moments before pro-bending matches were particularly enjoyable for Mako, although he'd never act like it. It wasn't due to the nervous, yet excited, feeling that most pro-bending players would get before matches. It wasn't even that he enjoyed the moments because he loved the sport and craved success so much it hurt. He lived for these moments because they put him in a state in which he felt invincible.

In these moments he felt like no hurt would ever come to Bolin or himself again. After all, that's all that mattered, right? That's why he was here playing this game. It wasn't just a game; it was a lifeline. A lifeline that Mako depended on.

He regretted treating Hasook like he did, but he knew the waterbender didn't understand. It had always been easy for his teammate. When Toza offered to help Mako and Bolin learn the sport, they had known they would have to find a waterbender. Their first idea was to scope out the water-treatment plant in order to search for someone good enough to give them an edge. That's where they found him.

The portly foreman was showing the brothers around the complex. The brothers had asked for a tour under the guise of being of out-of-work waterbenders. They were walking along a row of tall metal tubes.

"These are the filtration pods," the foreman proudly explained. "Latest model. They have to be cleaned every da- Hasook! You no-good slacker! Get your lazy butt out of there and get back to work!"

Mako looked and saw a lanky man relaxing on a makeshift hammock between two pods. The foreman was still shouting: "Do you see anyone else napping!? You know we're behind on our monthly quota!"

Hasook merely waved back and said, "Relax boss-man, I emptied my pods half an hour ago."

Taken aback, the foreman muttered, "Hrmph, well don't let me catch you falling behind, or I'll have you out on your backside before you can spit."

As the group moved on towards the salt basins, the foreman said, "I try to motivate the boy, but he doesn't see the big picture. And I don't dare fire him, he's the fastest pod-cleaner I've got." Mako eyed Bolin, who returned a grin. They'd found their waterbender.

"What'dya mean you're not even waterbenders? Get your kiesters out of my plant before I call security!"

Looking back on their first encounter, Mako knew he should have seen the warning signs. Just as Hasook hadn't been a team player in the water plant, he wasn't being a team player now. Hasook couldn't understand that pro-bending was more than just being a strong bender. Mako knew Hasook hadn't known how it felt to be homeless or how it felt to be responsible for not just himself, but another person too. Maybe it wasn't Hasook's fault that he didn't understand, but then again, how could he be so selfish to not try as hard as Mako and Bolin did?

These thoughts irritated him and his head started to hurt. Usually before any other match, Mako wouldn't dare let such measly thoughts cross his mind- and now they were swallowing him whole. He had to snap out of it. Focus Mako, this is the match of your life.

Was he nervous? After all, Bolin was right. They were only two games away from the tournament. If they won it all Mako could take care of Bolin and himself for a very long time. He knew he couldn't let Bolin down. The Fire Ferrets would win. The thought made him smile for the first time since the last match. He took a deep breath, finally let the moments he enjoyed most creep into his mind. It was game time and he was ready.

He and Hasook walked into the locker room together without saying a word and just like usual, Mako didn't look towards the crowd. He was ready to play, no distractions. He went straight towards his locker to get his gloves when his thoughts were interrupted.

"Name's Bolin by the way."

"Korra."

Oh no, he thought. He didn't recognize the female's voice but knew the familiar flirtatious tone of his brother all too well. Bolin had been out of his sight for less than five minutes and he had already let a girl into the match. Hadn't they just talked about this in the attic?

"Psst. Bolin," whispered Mako, turning his head swiftly in his brother's direction.

Bolin turned to walk towards Mako.

"Yeah?"

"I told you, you have to stop bringing your crazy fangirls in here before the matches. Get her out of here," Mako sighed, focusing on tying his wrist straps while he faintly wondered how Bolin would even explain his act of immaturity this time.

"Aw, c'mon, Mako. All right, look, I kinda promised her she could stay. But man I've got a good feeling, there's something special about her. I know it," explained Bolin in almost a begging tone.

Huh, that's a new one, Mako thought. Although he had never heard Bolin sound so genuine about a fan, Mako looked down at his helmet trying to focus while wishing his brother would do the same. He simply did not care who the girl was or why Bolin had let her in the locker room to watch the match.

Bolin then shuffled backwards to retrieve the girl and pulled her in Mako's direction.

"Come here, I want you to meet my brother, Mako."

Rather than get distracted over something so inconsequential Mako decided to simply ignore the situation. At least until after the match when he could once again focus on lecturing his brother about the locker room rules.

The girl spoke directly to Mako for the first time, putting out her hand to shake his, "Mako? Wow, I heard you play on the radio!"

Of course she had. That proved it; she was just another fangirl for sure. Enough already, so much nonsense tonight.

With patience wearing thin, Mako calmly said, "C'mon, Bolin, we're up".

He knew the girl would be disappointed; the girls always were when he ignored them. He was sure they thought he was rude. He even knew he was rude and he knew it was a problem. But he couldn't worry about that now. Not while he still needed to fight tooth and nail for a good life for him and his brother.

"Or I could meet him later" the girl mumbled with her hand still held out.

"Yeah, sorry about that, my brother just gets real focused before the match," explained Bolin.

Mako was glad his brother was explaining his behavior. Hopefully she would come down from her fangirl high and not come back.

"Okay, I've gotta go. Wish me luck. Not that I'll need it," Bolin said confidently while putting on his helmet.

Of course he was trying to impress the girl. Mako wanted so badly to yell at him to focus but ultimately he knew the match would come down to his own focus and refrained from such nonsense.

The girl then yelled, "Good luck! Knock em' out!"

We'll need it, Mako thought.

At last, Hasook, Mako, and Bolin all stood together in front of the arena. The platform that supported the three of them started to advance towards the ring, and the lights dimmed. Mako saw the announcer rise from the middle of the ring and heard the cheers of the audience.

"Introoooooducing the Fire Ferrets!"

The crowd went ballistic. This was it. The three pro-benders lined up against the Golden Temple Tigerdillos, waiting for the bell. Mako took a deep breath. You got this, he thought.

Then the bell rang. The three players immediately started throwing punches in the Tigerdillos' direction. Bolin sent a flying earth disk that was quickly blocked by a blast of fire from the opposing Tigerdillo. Then the opposing firebender found Hasook, who was have troubling handling the heat. Mako had seen the same reaction in practice. C'mon Hasook… Already the match wasn't going how Mako had planned. It would have to be up to him. Mako weaved in out and out of all elements that were being thrown at him. When the shots broke Mako punched fire towards the Tigerdillos.

Mako immediately regretted the move because it allowed time for two of the Tigerdillos to knock both Bolin and Hasook back zones. He knew what that meant. No, no, no, he thought. He wasn't going to let the Fire Ferrets lose.

The shots were being fired towards him now; he was doing his best to defend himself. Mako leaped to avoid the barrage. He thought he had timed his jumps perfectly. It was his signature move. He had studied doing this in practice and had nearly mastered it. On his last defense jump, Mako was sure he had escaped the line of fire when a disk of earth came crashing into his stomach, pushing him over the line, back a zone.

He looked down at the line and couldn't believe it. The Tigerdillos were able to advance zones into their territory. The Tigerdillos' waterbender immediately fired towards Mako and he answered with a ferocious flame. He was holding up, this was good. Bolin then fired an earth disk only for it to be deflected back with a kick by the Tigerdillo earthbender. The disk then hit Hasook, knocking him into the final zone.

Hasook should've been ready for that hit! They had rehearsed that exact scenario in practice many times. All of the Tigerdillos were taking of advantage of Hasook being in the last zone. Pro-Bending was just as much about avoiding hits as it was about throwing them. Why couldn't Hasook understand that? He watched as Hasook took a final hit that knocked him off the ring and into the water. Mako had to do something!

He immediately went to Bolin's side help defend him against the three Tigerdillos, but two on three was not an easy thing. The brothers tried to muster a counter-attack, but their efforts devolved into merely dodging, doing all they could to just stay in their zone. Bolin tried to block another water attack with a disk he kicked up in front of him, but the water broke through the shield and knocked him back into zone three. _Bolin! _Concerned for his brother, Mako looked to make sure he was all right, but immediately got pummeled into zone three as well.

The ring announcer's voice then cried out, "Round one goes to the Golden Temple Tigerdillos!"

The teams lined back up. Mako was not going to let them lose! What was wrong with the team tonight? If Hasook had just been paying attention on that last hit then Mako and Bolin wouldn't have been knocked back into zone three. Why couldn't he understand this was not just a game for them?

"C'mon Hasook! Get your act together!" Mako said angrily.

The bell rang for round two and the Tigerdillos immediately sent attacks one after another. All three of their attacks connected with the Fire Ferrets pushing them back a zone. The Tigerdillos advanced. _Already?_

The attacks immediately resumed and Bolin punched an earth disk forward. A Tigerdillo fired off a short stream of water only to be hit by Bolin's disk. Hasook kicked out a pair of water lashes that knocked another Tigerdillo to the floor. Bolin sent out another disk that connected with the center Tigerdillo, knocking him back to zone three. Mako and Hasook immediately began to throw fire and water attacks toward the remaining two Tigerdillos. They were finally knocked back into zone three just as the bell rang.

"Round two goes to the Fire Ferrets!" cried the ring announcer.

Bolin and Hasook started dancing in joy behind Mako. He took a sigh a relief and could feel the sweat on his forehead. He would not celebrate with his teammates; they hadn't won yet. He was not wasting any energy that could be used in the final round.

The two teams lined up for the last time. Mako got the feeling of butterflies he had experienced while walking down from the attic, but this time he did not enjoy them and he did not feel invincible. He was nervous and scared about what would happen if they were to lose this round. He wasn't sure that they could keep it together. And he was right.

The bell rang and the Tigerdillo waterbender immediately targeted Hasook. Hasook dodged two water blasts, causing him to stumble into Bolin. Another water attack knocked both of them to the floor and Hasook landed face down on top of Bolin. Mako panicked. _Hurry, get untangled!_

The Tigerdillo earthbender kicked a disk at the tangled mass that was Bolin and Hasook, striking them and causing them to both fall in the water. The crowd was silent. They probably thought it was over. They probably thought there was no way Mako could handle one on three.

Mako couldn't explain the feeling that came over him in the moment. He knew it was all up to him but surprisingly, that made him feel strong. Hadn't it always been up to him?

He started to weave in and out every attack being thrown at him, exerting an incredible mental effort to pace himself. He felt his foot brush the back corner of the ring. His breathing got ragged as another blast of fire was thrown in his direction. The fire was much too hot. He felt its blaze nearing his skin.

The arena seemed disappear from Mako at that moment. There were no fans cheering and there were no element barrages anymore.

An eight year old Mako sat on his knees with his little brother beside him, holding his father's hand. His mother had a burn mark across her face. Mako couldn't understand why she was laying so still. He didn't understand why his father was holding his stomach in agony with tears on his face. Mako had never seen his father cry.

Mako could still feel the heat around him.

"_Daddy, why are you crying? You and mom will get better. We'll get you help. Bolin and I will take care of you. Please don't cry_," begged the little Mako.

"_No, I need you to take care of Bolin. The future you two have… Promise me_," breathed Mako and Bolin's father.

_I promise,_ thought the eighteen year old Mako and suddenly he was back in the arena. He began to fire back.

Mako clapped his hands to create a tremendous burst of flame, which knocked one Tigerdillo out of the ring. It was now one on two. Mako fired another hard burst of flame, stepping forward a zone as often as he was permitted. Another Tigerdillo fell into the water. It was one on one now. Mako and the earthbender. Their attacks collided in the middle of the ring. Mako's flame dissipated, and his opponent's disks crumbled. Mako gave an especially strong kick, sending a wildfire into the dust cloud that clouded the arena. The jet of fire connected with the Tigerdillo and pushed him back into his zone three.

Mako pressed his advantage. He leaped out of the dust cloud and brought down a punch that pushed a wave of fire right into the earthbender's chest. His opponent couldn't see it coming, and he fell directly into the water.

And the bell rang.

It was over. They had won. Mako felt relieved. He had done it. He and his team were only one match away from the tournament. They could be champions. He took his helmet off and turned his head to look all around the arena. The crowds roared. Perhaps he would enjoy this moment too.

**Hello again! I really hope you all enjoyed chapter two! First and foremost, I would like to thank Jeff, an awesome admin from DF, for helping me edit, add a few things, and giving me some awesome inspirations. This would not be what it is without him! It was pretty tedious to write with all of the pro-bending action! I could not have done it without constantly referring to the actual scene over and over or having a little help. Please write reviews! I'll take criticism, ideas, love, anything. I'm taking this story very serious due to it being my first and I'd like to finish it before season two starts SEPTEMBER 13TH! Be back with an update in a couple of days! **


	3. The First Distraction

Before Mako could make it back to the locker room his head was already spinning with thoughts of the next match. The Fire Ferrets had barely weaseled out of this one, how would they win the next? He knew there was not a likely chance if Hasook continued to act the way he was.

Bolin had run in front of Mako to revel in excitement with the girl who had been in the locker room before. She was still there? Mako had nearly forgotten about her being there. His thoughts immediately switched to lecture points he'd have to share with Bolin later.

"Well," Hasook snorted beside Mako, "I'm glad that's over with."

Mako couldn't believe his ears? Was Hasook really that comfortable to laugh over the match? It was not a joking matter. Mako's patience was nearly over with Hasook's bad attitude and lazy work ethic.

"You did more harm than good out there. You nearly cost us the match!" Mako yelled.

"We won, didn't we?" Hasook grumbled.

"Barely!" Mako exclaimed. If Hasook would show up to practice, physically _and_ mentally, the waterbender wouldn't mess up nearly as much in the matches.

"Get off my case, pal!" Hasook yelled as he stormed towards the locker room door. The door quickly shut behind him.

Mako was right about what he had said in the attic earlier. "Useless," he muttered.

"You guys were incredible out there!" said the girl that wouldn't leave, "especially you, Mr. Hat Trick!"

Mako assumed she only wanted to stay around for an autograph. Bolin would eventually sign something for her and then she might leave. The match was over but the team still couldn't use any huge distractions. Mako didn't look at the girl because he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of being noticed.

"Oh, you're still here?"

The girl's voice became harsh, "Oh, you're still a jerk?"

Bolin must have liked the girl's comment because the two shared a quick laugh but Mako didn't care. Ignoring them, he walked to his locker to begin putting up his gear for the next match tomorrow night.

"Anyway," the girl began, "I've been immersed in bending my entire life but I never learned how to move like that! It's like there's a whole new style here. Think you could show me a few tricks?"

"Absolutely!" Bolin quickly exclaimed. Mako didn't have to see Bolin's face to know how excited he was.

"Right now? Come on, Bolin" Mako huffed. He began to wonder what Bolin was thinking, or if he was even thinking at all. They had one match to go win before the tournament and there was no time to be showing anyone anything.

Mako could hear the annoyed sigh come from his brother. "Just ignore him", Bolin persisted, "Yeah, I could show you the basics. I'm just not sure how my earthbending would translate to your waterbending. But we'll figure it out."

_Yes_, Mako thought while beginning to untie his wrist straps, _even more of a waste of time_.

The girl's tone turned confident and Mako could almost hear a smile with her voice, "Won't be a problem, I'm actually an earthbender."

And this was the first statement from the girl that caught Mako off guard. He had remembered seeing a blue outfit on the girl when he had caught a glimpse of her before the match. Why would she be dressed that way and not be a waterbender? He tried to make his curiousity vanish because the girl did not matter to him. Clearly she was crazy.

It wasn't long before Bolin asked Mako's question for him, "I'm sorry, no, no. I didn't mean to assume. Cause I, ya know, I was just figuring, with your Water Tribe getup... that you are... a water tribe... gal."

The girl was an idiot to walk around in clothes that weren't of her bending background, what was she trying to prove to the brothers?

"No, you're right I'm a waterbender... And a firebender" The girl said proudly.

Mako immediately stiffened and he could almost hear the puzzle pieces clicking in his head. His hands dropped to his sides from untying straps on the uniform.

"Mhmm…" Bolin pondered, "I'm very confused right now".

But Mako wasn't confused at all. He was wrong about the girl. The girl was not just another fangirl seeking autographs and she was not an idiot. If anyone had been an idiot, it had been him. She was the Avatar. Avatar Korra. He had heard her on the radio just recently.

He had just been rude to the Avatar, of all people.

"You're the Avatar," he began while lowering his head, "and I'm an idiot."

"Both are true," the girl quickly agreed.

It was then that Mako turned to face the girl for the first time. She had beautiful dark skin and hair and indeed wore water tribe clothes. And her blue eyes… Mako was indeed taken back by her.

"No…way…" Bolin threw a glance in Mako's direction, hiding his lips, and whispered, "The Avatar!"

The girl- _No, Korra_- began to smile at Bolin's utter surprise.

Bolin shifted towards Korra to shake her hand. "I'm sorry I didn't realize it earlier! It's a total honor to meet you! I'm a big, huge Avatar Aang fan!"

"Uh, thanks, I guess," said Korra on behalf of her past life nervously laughing, "you can stop shaking my hand now."

Bolin's face turned red and he immediately let her hand drop. "Right, right! Sorry!"

The tables had turned and Mako wondered just how far Bolin was from asking for Korra's autograph.

Instead he once again turned to Mako, loudly whispering, "She's totally the Avatar!"

Mako saw Korra laugh and roll her eyes behind Bolin, "So are you going to show me anything or not?"

Bolin ran to link arms with Korra and began lugging her out of the locker room, presumably towards the gym. It took Mako a second to realize he was alone in the locker room. He wondered what this would mean for him and Bolin. Surely she wouldn't stick around. After all, who were they?

He was debating whether or not to go to the gym or the attic as he walked out of the locker room into the hallway, closing the door behind him. For once he was not worrying about what would happen when he would enter the next time.

**Hello! I'm sorry this is a short chapter. I didn't have very much time to write today and I couldn't resist ending the chapter on this note. It ends in a good spot for Mako. It leaves him thinking positively, although he does not realize it. Also, I added a few lines from the book "Revolution". I put my own twist on them but I thought they were great for the chapter. I've already got some work done into chapter 4 and I'll post it probably tomorrow. Thanks for all the awesome reviews you guys, they've been great! **


	4. Crazy

"Okay, let me try it again"

Mako had to admit, watching the Avatar practice Pro-Bending was absolutely an enthralling experience. Usually by this time after an intense match he would be so exhausted that sleep would have already found him. But not tonight. He had been leaning against the stairwell in the gym for nearly half an hour watching Korra try over and over to correct the move Bolin was teaching her. She had a fiery personality and was probably the craziest girl he'd met. But at the same time Mako had never met anyone like her.

Korra looked down at her feet and hopped lightly trying to take Bolin's last bit of advice. She easily punched two earth discs towards the practice net finally getting them to intercross at the last moment just like Bolin's had.

_Huh, well how about that_, Mako thought. If that'd been a real match, an opponent would have been almost helpless to defend themselves. It had taken Bolin a very long time to master that move. The girl put her hands on her hips and looked to see Bolin's reaction.

"Wow, nice adjustment," Bolin exclaimed in excitement while pointing back at her, "you're a natural at this!"

Mako then broke the silence he had held since entering the gym. "Not bad," he said in a dry tone.

Korra and Bolin turned around to look at him. Korra's expression of excitement dropped and she looked almost disappointed. Mako couldn't understand why.

"What's it take to impress this guy?"

Hadn't he just complimented her? Avatar or not, she was a stranger to him. What did she expect? A round of applause or utter admiration like Bolin had given her?

"What? I said not bad," Mako said with his eyes glaring at Korra.

Her lips pouted causing Mako to sigh. The girl was crazy and he was not about to waste his time giving in to argument with someone he barely knew the in the first place. She irritated him. He wondered what he been thinking when he left the locker room. The Avatar showing up did nothing for their situation. It had been a waste to even come to the gym to watch her. She was a distraction that had even distracted him. He looked down, shaking his head.

"You know what, it's getting late. I think I'm gonna turn in. You kids have fun," Mako said while leaning off the stairwell.

He began walking towards the door to leave and then something struck him. He did just meet the Avatar and he didn't want to be entirely rude. He didn't know if he'd ever meet her again. But knowing Bolin, Mako probably would.

Mako paused momentarily to look back at her and then spoke in the nicest voice he could manage at the moment, "Nice to meet you, 'Avatar Korra'."

Her face looked sour and waved, speaking sarcastically, "Yeah, been a real pleasure."

Mako then knew the Avatar hated him. He had been rude and he should've showed a little more respect. Deep down, it did bother him. Perhaps if the tournament wasn't just one match away he would've turned around to tell her sorry. Perhaps if the tournament wasn't just one match away Korra, Bolin, and him could all be friends. Perhaps that life would be enjoyable for him. But this was real life and it couldn't be that simple. He needed to focus on taking care of his brother, just like he had promised his father. Mako needed rest and so did Bolin.

"See you upstairs, bro," Mako said hoping to hint to Bolin to leave the gym soon.

Instead of Bolin responding, it was the girl. "Upstairs? You guys live here?"

Mako knew what she was thinking. She was probably laughing at how pathetic that was. Perhaps she had expected the brothers to live in a glamorous mansion since they were pro-benders. She had no idea about their life.

Bolin responded, "Yup. In the attic. It's nothing fancy, but we have some great views!"

For a moment Mako did wonder what the girl- _No, Korra_- thought about that. After all, she was the avatar.

From the hallway Mako heard Bolin then say, "So, back to bending, why don't you throw that combo one more time?"

Mako rolled his eyes. It would be a while before his brother came upstairs.

Mako awoke the next morning with a fierce attitude. The memory of last night never crossed his mind. Tonight was it for him, the match that decided everything. He rolled off the couch he slept on each night and made the short walk into the small kitchen. He sent a blast of fire to the stove to let it heat up for breakfast while he went to wake up Bolin.

He had nearly climbed the top step on the ladder to the loft where Bolin slept when he heard the groggy mumbling, "No, Pabu, no more melon smoothies. The Melon Lord is too expensive for your circus tricks."

Bolin was sleep-talking about the popular restaurant venue that one of Avatar Aang's friends opened after Republic City was built. Bolin only talked in his sleep if he was really tired. Mako then remembered the night before. Bolin had stayed up later than he should have with Avatar Korra.

"Lovebird," Mako mumbled and slid back down the ladder.

It was in his best interest to let Bolin sleep if Mako wanted extra focus from him in the match tonight.

The morning went on much like usual. Mako ate his breakfast while he listened to the radio. Unlike usual he listened extra close for anything about Avatar Korra. She had been on the radio the other day as sort of a press conference for coming to Republic City. Maybe it was destiny she showed up to Mako and Bolin. Maybe she would have a greater impact on their lives than he could imagine. Mako then laid back down on the couch, while continuing to think and listen to the radio. Either the calming thoughts or the lulling music- or a mixture of both- slowly put Mako to sleep, forgetting all his troubles.

What felt like only minutes later, Mako woke up being shaken by Bolin, "Good morning! Or should I say good afternoon? Either way, you were up for breakfast! Why didn't you wake me up? Pabu and I are growing boys, we need our morning energy!"

Mako moaned putting his hands over his eyes to block the bright light from the window, "Ugh, I fell back to sleep. You should've come to bed earlier, you were sleep talking so I didn't wake you up. What time is it?"

Bolin blinked in surprise, "Oh. Well Pabu and I have been up several hours and you were sleep talking too. Something about destiny and a girl that drives you crazy. Oh, Makoooo, do you have a, you know, special lady in your life? Either way, it's almost four and our match is at six."

_Oh no!_ Mako thought. He rolled over fast on the couch to get up, practically falling from his drowsiness. He ran to his dresser where he kept his practice clothes.

"We have to be to be in the gym at four for practice! We told Hasook to be there! Why didn't you wake me up? I can't believe this! We're not focused at all. We're going to lose the match and it's my entire fault!" Mako yelled.

Mako looked Bolin up and down and was glad that his brother was dressed for practice already. That saved some time. Mako pulled Bolin towards the attic door and ran with him down the steps practically making both of them fall. Mako pulled open the gym door and ran inside.

"Sorry we're late Hasook. Bolin let me over sleep and- Hasook?"

Mako had run in the gym expecting Hasook to have been there but the room was completely empty. His body rang with anger. Today was not the day for Hasook to slack off.

"Maybe he's just running late, Mako. You know how he is," said Bolin trying to reassure Mako.

Mako placed his index finger and thumb on the bridge of his nose and sighed hoping Bolin was right. The two brothers sat in the gym for nearly an hour contemplating why Hasook would be late. The two even considered going to look for him although they didn't even know where he lived. Mako supposed his harsh words from the night before had caused Hasook's absence but they had been necessary.

It wasn't until the next hour that Mako got serious and said, "I swear, Bolin, after this Hasook is cut. No more. He's cost us nearly every match this season!"

"I hate to be Mr. Negative here but what about tonight? What happens if he doesn't show up at all? We have less than an hour until the match. What are we going to do?" Bolin asked.

For what felt like the first time a very long time, Mako had no idea what to tell his brother. They didn't know any other waterbenders and it was against the rule to borrow one from another team. If Hasook didn't show up the Fire Ferrets would be disqualified. The brothers would be back to living on the streets doing odd jobs here and there to get by rather than living in attic in the arena.

Mako took pride in always saving his brother. Whenever Bolin got into a stupid situation, Mako had always been there to help him. Not only did his pride depend on it, but his well-being did too. Although he never opened up to anyone about it, not even his brother, Mako missed his parents very much. He knew somewhere his parents were watching over them and he didn't want to think he was disappointing them. Taking care of Bolin had been his father's dying wish, why couldn't he manage to uphold that promise? No destiny should include their struggle. It was the end of the road.

Mako felt tears appear in his eyes and he quickly blinked them back. Bolin hadn't seen Mako cry since the night their parents were killed. He had to be strong for Bolin. That was all he had. His purpose was to save Bolin only leaving Mako to often wonder who was going to save him.

Fifteen minutes before the match, Mako and Bolin slowly made their way to the locker room although Mako felt it was useless. He broke the routine of going straight to his locker and went to the wall. He leaned his body against it and unlike usual he looked towards the crowd. He could hear cheers. Some were even yelling for the Fire Ferrets. Maybe he took the crowd for granted, the ones who were cheering for the team's success. Bolin sat on the bench across from Mako staring at the ground.

"You never can truly appreciate something until it's gone, can you, bro?" Mako asked Bolin rhetorically.

Just then Avatar Korra walked into the room and neither he nor Bolin reacted. Mako was sure he would've greeted her kindly if the situation had been different. Even Bolin didn't look her way. Her presence would fix nothing, Avatar or not.

"I didn't miss your match, did I? You guys look like you lost already," Korra speculated.

Bolin didn't look up at her and his usual cheerful voice was not there, "We might as well have."

Korra had a loss for words and Mako felt it was his responsibility to save his brother from talking.

"Hasook's a no-good no-show," Mako explained looking up at her.

The door creaked open and Mako and Bolin perked up, hoping it was Hasook. But it wasn't, it was the referee.

"You have two minutes to come out ready to play or you're disqualified."

The door shut and Mako looked down for what felt like the millionth time that day, "Well, there goes our shot at the tournament… and the winnings."

Korra pointed at a player in the corner from another and asked, "Can't you ask one of those guys?"

Mako knew Korra was trying to help but she simply didn't understand. Bolin and Mako had already thought of this.

Bolin answered for Mako this time, "Nah, the rules say you can only compete on one team."

The girls face dropped and then suddenly became bright with an excited smile. _What_? Mako thought. There was no reason to smile. No idea could ever fix this, they were out and done.

"Well, then how about me?" Korra asked, "I'm a top-notch waterbender, if I do say so myself."

_No!_ Mako thought. That would also get them disqualified and he'd rather not be disqualified for that. Surely it would be considered cheating to have the Avatar play in pro-bending match. Either way Korra knew nothing about pro-bending except for maybe how to watch and throw earth discs, none of which would help the Fire Ferrets win.

Bolin looked at her with a puzzled expression, "But you're the Avatar. Isn't that cheating?"

The girl looked smug and smiled, "It is cheating if I only do waterbending."

Mako finally spoke up, "No way. I'd rather forfeit than look like a fool out there."

Korra glanced back at him looking angrier than he'd seen her, "wow, thanks for the vote of confidence."

Just then the referee peaked back in the door after what felt like the shortest two minutes of Mako's life. "Time's up. You in or out?"

Before Mako could breathe to respond, Korra answered for him, "We're in!"

"We are?" Mako asked.

Korra wasn't on the team, she couldn't answer for them. But Mako supposed now wasn't the time to argue. If the Fire Ferrets were going to get disqualified they might as well show up to do it.

Bolin smiled and threw his fist in the air, exclaiming, "Yes!"

Bolin smiling was one thing Mako couldn't resist, even though he desperately wanted to at the moment. Bolin and Korra ran to the lockers before Mako could interject.

"Hey, I didn't agree to this!" Mako said pointing at her.

She turned around smiling at him, "You can thank me later."

Although he wasn't so sure he'd be thanking her later he couldn't understand the feelings that rushed through him. He blamed the feelings all on a mix of being nervous, sad, excited, and frustrated but even he knew Korra had something to do with them. She was wild, energetic, and confident although she had no reason to be. And she was the Avatar. The Avatar that was about to play with the Fire Ferrets in a pro-bending match.

"This girl is crazy," he said.

But then again, maybe so was he.

**Hello again everyone! :) This was a fun chapter to write so I hope you all have fun reading it! I love tying together the pieces of Mako that I know are there that we never see in the series. He's fascinating, isn't he? The next chapter is going to be a tough one with more pro-bending so sorry if it takes a little longer to post next time. I just can't wait to finish to get to all of the good stuff! Anyway, please keep reviewing. You guys are my motivation! Thanks! **


	5. The New Teammate

While walking up to the line in the middle of the ring Mako was still trying to reckon how exactly this happened. He couldn't believe the Avatar was about to play with the Fire Ferrets in a pro-bending match. Surely it couldn't be a bad thing, could it? The Avatar was supposed to be a powerful bender. But then again, he'd seen powerful bending from Hasook. Mako had no idea whether Korra would be good at the sport or even if it was legal.

"Don't do anything too fancy or aggressive. In fact, don't do anything. Just try not to get knocked off the ring," Mako said trying to throw in some last minute instruction.

"You got it, captain," she responded, lifting her helmet that was all too big over her eyes. They would have to order all new gym equipment for her. If they won, that is.

He could tell Korra was excited, but Mako had no time to decide whether or not that was a good thing.

The referee then cried, "Players are you ready?"

_No_, Mako thought.

The bell rang and Korra leapt into action, immediately summoning a jet of water that knocked the opposing firebender off the side of the ring. Mako sighed and put his palm over his face. This was a bad idea; she had no idea how to play.

Korra leaped, throwing her fist in the air, "Woo-hoo, man overboard!"

The referee soon sounded again, "Fire Ferret Waterbender penalty. Move back one zone."

Korra looked confused and threw her hands down to her side, "What? Why?"

Mako hissed, "You're only allowed to knock players off the back of the ring, not over the sides!" He wasn't just mad at her, he was mad at himself. Maybe forfeiting _was _the better option.

Korra moved back a zone like the referee had said and the bell quickly rang again. Korra began sending water slashes to the opposing team, only to get slammed in the abdomen by the opposing earthbender's earth disk. She rushed forward into a leaping kick that caught an incoming stream of water. She tossed it back, but landed in zone one.

The referee's whistle blew again. _Oh no, this is has gone too far! _Mako yelled inside his head.

"Foul. Over the line. Move back to zone three."

Korra looked angry and mumbled, "Argh! I'll show you over the line."

Mako was thankful the referee didn't hear the comment. Arguing with the referee's was not a good thing. If the referee would've heard her she would've been given the yellow fan. If a player is given three fans during the game, the player is ejected from the match. Mako looked down and sighed. The Fire Ferrets had lost the first round and likely wouldn't win the next. He actually wouldn't mind it if she was ejected from the match and seriously thought about getting her ejected himself.

The bell quickly rang out and the blasts began again for the third time. The opposing team began striking attacks at Korra, likely knowing her weakness. She was trying to block herself as best she could. She dodged a storm of attacks, getting forced from one side of the ring to the other. She then found herself in between simultaneous fire and water attacks and growled, bringing up a shield of earth disks to intercept the incoming elements.

The crowd gasped and the opposing team stared in shock. _That's it_, Mako thought. He knew it was over and finally admitted to himself that letting Korra play in their match had been a mistake. The referee once again blew his whistle.

"Foul... I think?"

Mako knew there was no thinking to it. Korra had ultimately cheated and they would be disqualified. While the crowd continued to gasp, Bolin took it upon himself to explain to the referee.

"She's the Avatar, but so? There isn't anything in the rule book specifically forbidding the Avatar playing in a pro-bending match!"

The referee closed his eyes and sighed, "No, I suppose not- But this is highly irregular!"

Korra looked at the referee with a nervous and apologetic smile. Mako scowled at her.

After a few moments the referee finally gave the verdict, "The Avatar will be permitted to continue, so long as she solely bends water!"

The opposing team reacted to the ruling, sighing. The bell rang again and the Platypus Bears threw attacks at Korra with a vengeance. She tried to block a fireball but it pushed her off balance. An earth disk hit her immediately after that left her open for a line of water. She was immediately knocked off the ring.

"Round two goes to the Platypus Bears!" cried the announcer.

Mako desperately wanted the match to be over, the quicker the better. He didn't understand why it was taking so long and began thinking of ways he quicken the process. He knew if they lost the match that he and Bolin would be back on the streets but he would figure something out. He always did.

When Korra finally returned to the ring round three immediately started. The Platypus Bears continued to target Korra with one element after another and Mako and Bolin were pushed up against the ropes at the edge of the field. The brothers alternated trying to throw attacks between blocking but were being hit so much they couldn't fire back. They got hit by several strong streams of water making them unable to help Korra.

Korra dodged a fireball and caught an earth disk in her hands but she was still pushed back into zone three. She teetered on the edge, ducking under an earth disk but nearly fell. Then she stepped back into the center of zone three.

Instead of returning strikes of her own, Korra turned her back on them. The shift of her body allowed a bolt of fire to flow past her and dissolve without making contact. She spiraled to the left, avoiding disks, and shifted again away from water strikes that could've easily knocked her off the ring.

Mako couldn't believe what he was seeing. He saw the change in her movements and he definitely did not recognize them as waterbending. He was taken aback by her moves and was ultimately distracted himself when he noticed the Platypus Bears were distracted as well. He knew that was his moment to strike. The opposing team was losing energy. Mako nodded to Bolin, who picked up his signal. The brothers let loose with a fire and earth combo that knocked the rival team to their knees.

Korra then made a spinning jump that caught an incoming stream of water and she threw it back. Mako threw three Fire attacks and easily knocked the opposing firebending out of the ring. The Earthbender Platypus Bear gets hit by an Earth disk from Bolin. A water attack knocks him to zone two, and then a fire attack from Mako kept him tumbling straight over the edge. The opposing firebender took a water hit and kept on his feet, but a second stream of water pushed him over the back edge.

The bell rang again for the final time, signaling the end of the round. It was a knock-out and the Fire Ferrets had come back from out of nowhere to win. They were in the tournament.

Mako was staring at Korra in awe. She had won the match for them. When he had lost faith, she had come back to save the team. For once, someone had saved him and he couldn't pinpoint how that had made him feel. It had made him feel… _free?_ He took in a deep breath, fully appreciating the moment. Although he was still standing in the ring, Mako wasn't thinking about pro-bending. He was simply stunned.

Korra ran to Bolin, immediately giving him a high-five. Maybe Mako had been wrong in treating Korra like he had. Clearly she was a natural, and maybe- just maybe- she might have a part in their destiny. He swallowed his pride he'd been trying to so hard to keep and finally gave into her, knowing he'd probably never be able to turn back.

"Korra, what can I say? You really came alive in that last round. The way you dodged their attacks, you are a natural," Mako said with a small, yet meaningful, smile.

She looked almost surprised by his kindness and grinned, "Thanks, but I can't take all the credit. Someone else taught me those moves."

Mako briefly wondered what she was talking about. For a moment he'd considered asking, but he stopped and realized he'd find out later. _Later, h_e mused. He guessed that meant Korra was on the team for good and he didn't mind the idea. She was a powerful bender and Mako knew that gave the Ferrets a chance at the championship. He and Bolin would be okay.

Korra was still looking at him and he had no idea what to say.

He searched awkwardly for something to add, "Well… Thanks." He reached toward her, stopped, and then clapped her stiffly on the shoulder.

Instead of the smile Mako expected to see, Korra groaned, "Really? That's your big thank-you?"

"_What?_ I said thanks!" Mako said uncomfortably.

Hadn't he just complimented her? What did she expect? Mako then became angry. Hadn't this same situation occurred the night before in the practice-gym?

"Yeah, but it's the _way_ you said it," she retorted.

Mako threw his hands in the air to yell at her, then paused, and shook his head. A smile almost crept upon his lips. _Oh_, he understood. She _wanted_ admiration like Bolin had given her. He briefly considered playing along for the fun of it but instead rolled his eyes and turned around to leave the ring.

Mako could hear Korra huff behind him but she couldn't see his smile. Mako knew dealing with the team's new waterbender would be tough, yet _new_, _exciting, fun- _No- mainly just tough.

**Hey guys! I'm SO sorry it's taken so long to update! I've been busy preparing for my junior year of college to start. Plus, pro-bending scenes give me all sorts of writer's block :( I really tried though so I hope you all enjoy it! I added two sequences from the revolution novelization again. I thought they were cute and I enjoyed throwing my own little twist on them. I start class Tuesday so I plan on trying to type up chapter 6 tonight. The next chapter will be short but sweet :) Again, PLEASE REVIEW! The reviews motivate me like no other! Thanks! XOXO**


	6. Across The Bay

Later that night Mako and Bolin sat in the attic of the arena calmly recalling the events of the evening. Bolin had taken Mako's couch for a seat, forcing Mako to sit on the kitchen chair. The mood was a good, happy one. It was something not familiar to Mako. Even he occasionally laughed about Bolin's quirkiness.

"But really though, did you see their faces when the referees said Korra was permitted to play? Bam, the Fire Ferrets have the Avatar! It was priceless!" Bolin cackled.

Mako smiled at Bolin, "Yeah, it was pretty great. I bet they were just as surprised as we were."

Bolin raised his hands to his cheeks to hold them in excitement, almost looking like a fangirl himself, "Can you believe we know the Avatar? The _Avatar!_ I mean, we don't just know her- she's our friend!" Bolin then reached to pop his collar and wink, "and might I add that she totally digs the Bolin."

Mako rolled his eyes. He knew Korra probably did like Bolin. If she was that interested in getting Mako's admiration, he knew she probably loved getting Bolin's. He would have to put a stop to it if Bolin wanted to date her though. That just couldn't happen. Not during the tournament. _Or ever_, Mako then thought although he didn't know why. The thought of his brother dating the Avatar just made him uncomfortable. He and Bolin didn't need any more complications in their life. Perhaps it would be best if both of them dated non-benders. Or never dated at all.

But again, neither of them needed to focus on dating. It was the middle of the tournament and they needed to focus all they had on winning it.

"Sure, sure," Mako reasoned, "Anyway, did you hammer out practice details with Korra? If she's going to be on the team she needs to know times and not be late. She may be the Avatar but we're not going to let her slack off."

"Bro, chillax. I told her we had the morning time-slot in the gym on non-game days. She gets it. Actually, she looked excited. I don't think she likes living on Air Temple Island too well. I'd say she'd be eager to leave, no matter the time."

"I won't relax, Bolin. We've got the biggest matches of our lives coming up. Do you want to win the tournament?" Mako said, groaning.

"You know I do! But don't you feel somewhat good about our chances after tonight?" Bolin asked in return.

"Sure, Korra won for us tonight, but she's the rookie. And we're the rookie team. If that doesn't say anything I don't know what will," Mako spoke.

Bolin rolled his eyes and said, "stop being so negative, will you? Geez, you're making my good mood go away and I like my good mood!"

It was then that Mako lost his temper. He threw his hands to the said and raised his voice far too loud for the attic, "Listen, Bolin, If we can't win these earnings we'll be back on the streets and I won't be able to protect you or do what's best for you. You're the reason I told Shady Shin I was done with the Triple Threats and you're the reason we're still here. I have to protect you. But you have to help me do that. So stop being so inconsiderate and grow up! That was the last thing dad ever asked me to do for him. I can't let him down."

Bolin closed his eyes and grimaced, "Mako… I'm sure mom and dad are proud of us. They loved us. I know I can't remember as much as you but I know you've done a good job at protecting me. Heck, I would've been in prison, eaten by a snake while trying to save Pabu, or probably already starved to death had it not been for you. You are my everything Mako. And in my opinion, as long as we have each other I say we'll be okay. Pro-bending or not. I love you, Mako."

Mako couldn't reply. He felt hot tears filling his eyes, regretting all the things he had just spoken. He had to get out of Bolin's sight. He ran to the ladder that reached the loft of the attic and went straight to climb the ladder that went from the loft the tower. The tower was somewhere Mako always went when he wanted to think or clear his head. It was beautiful and peaceful there and had a great view of the entire city. He stopped at the window sill finally letting the tears spill over. It felt good to cry and had been far too long.

He couldn't understand why this had to happen to two kids. Two kids that could've been happy. If this life was leading up to some big destiny, Mako couldn't understand why. He hated that word. _Destiny._ But if this horrible life was his destiny he supposed he would have to respect it and stop acting like a complaining child. He was the one who needed to grow up, not Bolin. Maybe in reality Mako's attitude was what was keeping him and Bolin from succeeding. If he lightened up maybe things would be different. He wanted to embrace that side of him. He wasn't going to let Bolin or Korra slack off in practice but he promised to himself there in that moment that he had to change.

The light from across Yue Bay caught his eyes, making the tears in them glimmer and blur. He wiped them, feeling stupid for even letting them fall in the first place. It was then that Air Temple Island was presented plainly as day in his view. _Korra_, he thought.

If Mako had to respect his destiny, she was a good place to start. She had saved the Fire Ferrets tonight but to Mako that meant more. He had been saved for the first time in years. Maybe feeling grateful for that was his destiny- to appreciate when good people out there do good things. But hadn't Toza saved them? Mako wasn't sure if Korra, being the Avatar, made everything suddenly feel as if it was destiny or if it was something else. He suddenly wanted to know more about her and be her friend and be happy like he should have been. He wanted comfort and to know that somehow, regardless of this match, everything would be okay. But how would Korra be able to give that to him?

For the first time in a long time the unknown future fascinated Mako. Looking across the bay at Air Temple Island he felt his heart swell. He was open to change. Suddenly he couldn't get Korra off his mind. He wondered how her life had been, how she felt about the city, or even if she was sitting across the bay wondering about her future just as much as he was.

After a long while Mako got up and climbed back down the ladder to loft. He was getting ready to climb down the next ladder to the living room when he heard the snoring.

Bolin had fallen asleep on Mako's couch. In another world Mako would've woken him up and lectured at him for being in his place. But tonight Mako grabbed a blanket from the dresser and covered his brother up from the cold. He would sleep where Bolin usually did tonight. He took the first step on the ladder to go back to loft when he suddenly remembered something.

Mako turned his head to look back at his brother sleeping peacefully on the couch and whispered, "I love you too, little bro."

**Hello again! I am so happy I was able to squeeze this chapter in before class starts tomorrow! I was really excited to do this chapter. You get the gist. The wonderful shippyness of Mako and Korra staring across the bay at each other *swoon*. But as I was writing I kind of realized that wasn't really all it was about. Folks, as much as some of us wanted to believe it, Mako isn't in love with Korra (not yet, that's later). It's more like he's intrigued. And I think I did a pretty good job of getting to that in this chapter. I feel like I've finally gotten Mako's personality down. I get him and now I can start building his character. I feel like him sitting in the tower was him embracing change (and forshadowing Makorra ^^) But hey, that's the end of a leaf in the wind! I can't really say a time frame for when I will have the first chapter of "Revelation" up because of school but hopefully it will be soon. Thanks for reviewing you guys! Keep them coming! XOXO**


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